Perry Barr are currently in talks with a locally based company on the possibility of resurrecting the Birmingham Cup on either a Category 1 or Category 2 basis.
Racing manager Martin Seal said: “Discussions are at an early stage at present, and if everything comes together, late 2016 or early 2017 would appear to be the likely time frame.”
The Birmingham Cup was last staged at Perry Barr in 2009 under the sponsorship of William Hill, and was won by the Charlie Lister trained Fear Zafonic.
Perry Barr’s first series of graded sweepstakes reached a conclusion last Saturday with victory in the A1 stake falling to Neil Slowley’s Foxglove Hippy (Ace Hi Rumble-Foxglove May, ) in a decent 28.66. The sweepstakes are run on a weekly basis, covering all 480m grades, with two heats and the final attracting enhanced prize money.
2016 should be a productive year for puppies at the Barr with trainers Barry Denby, Louise Eccles (2), Carol Evans and John Lambe looking to bring litters of pups to the track in the coming months. Schooling trials are available during the track’s Monday trial session.
The Perry Barr branch of the RGT will be holding two fund raising evenings on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st May. Race sponsors and greyhound nominators are very welcome and interested parties should contact either Stuart Williams, Jayne Meek or Val Lambe for further information.
The track’s handicap traps, which have been out of commission for a couple of weeks due to electrical issues, are expected to be back in use within the next week or two.
There is no race meeting on Good Friday 25th March, when the Birmingham Brummies speedway team kick off their season with a National League home fixture against Stoke. The Brummies will be without the services of Adam Ellis in 2016, who has been snapped up by the Poole Pirates to ride in the Elite League following his stellar season for the Brummies in 2015.
